“I Am Very Happy To Be In India.” Shahid Afridi Feels More Loved In India Than Back Home

The 2016 edition of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament is underway. The Pakistan cricket team arrived at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on the night of Saturday, the 12th of March, and were greeted with a warm reception by cricket fans at the airport.

This follows the delay in their arrival because of the Pakistan Government seeking security assurances for the team from their Indian counterpart.

Pakistan’s Twenty20 team captain Shahid Afridi commented that the love he received from Indian fans will be memorable

Voicing his thoughts to the media about the reception his team received, Afridi said, “I’ve not enjoyed playing anywhere as much as I have in India. I am in the last stage of my career and I can say that the love I have got in India is something that I will always remember. We have not got this much love even from Pakistan.”

 

Afridi and senior team-mate Shoaib Malik also lauded the security set in place for them by India

Malik, who is married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, mentioned, “Firstly I would like to thank the Indian government. The security is very good. My wife is from India and I come to India a lot. I have never faced any security issue.”

 

Both senior players were overwhelmed by the love they received and had equally good things to say about India

Shahid Afridi said that the people here are lovers of the sport and he has always enjoyed playing in India during his career. Malik added, “I don’t really see any difference between Pakistani people and the Indians. We eat the same food, we speak the same language. I don’t really see any difference. I am very happy to be in India. I have always got a lot of love from people and from media. I’m honoured to be in India.”

 

The build-up period to the T20 World Cup has been somewhat rocky for the Pakistan cricket team, owing to the intense media scrutiny and security concerns voiced by their officials

“Whatever decision the state takes, we are behind them. We are cricketers and not politicians. Sport always brings two nations together. Can there be anything better than cricket? I think we should keep politics away from it,” Afridi said, playing down any negative impact that they might have endured because of the aforementioned issues.

Pakistan play Bangladesh in their first match of the tournament on Wednesday, the 16th of March, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. They play India on Saturday, the 19th of March, at the same venue.

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News source: Daily Mail
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